BANDWIDTH LIMITATIONS OF

LOG-PERIODIC MICROSTRIP PATCH

ANTENNA ARRAYS
Indexing terms: Antennas, Microstrip antennas, Log periodic
arrays, Wide bandwidth
Results are presented for the frequency dependence of the
propagation constant of uniform microstrip patch arrays
that allow the bandwidth limitations of log-periodic patch
arrays to be deduced. It is found that direct coupling of the
patch to the feed line limits the log-periodic bandwidth to
about a 2:1 frequency range. However, the introduction of
series reactance into the equivalent circuit such as by the use
of overlaid patches indicate that log-periodic action over a
very wide bandwidth is possible which will then be limited
by the uniform substrate and production tolerances.
Introduction: The narrow operating bandwidth of microstrip
patch antennas
1
has recently prompted examination of
methods for wideband operation using log-periodic tech-
niques. Two examples are shown in Fig. 1 which use electro-
magnetically coupled overlaid patches
2
(Fig. la) and patches
directly coupled to the feed line through quarter-wavelength
matching sections
3
(Fig. \b). The arrays are analogous to the
log-periodic dipole array
4
with the exception that in general a
beam normal to the substrate is required in contrast to the
end-fire dipole array and the dipole and patch radiators have,
respectively, series and parallel connected equivalent circuits
near resonance. These differences lead to significantly different
conclusions regarding how the radiating elements are con-
nected to the feed line and the ultimate array bandwidth limi-
tations. A k~fi analysis giving the frequency dependence of the
propagation constant of an infinite uniform series fed micro-
strip patch array has been applied to the above configurations,
and results are presented here that allow some conclusions on
this aspect to be drawn.
i nput *^-.
a
n f r f
J l
c
feed
"f~'
=
^~line
overlaid
patch
input-:
feed line
quarter - wavelength
q_ coupling section
patch
Fig. 1 Log-periodic microstrip arrays
a Overlaid patch array; feed line on lower grounded substrate;
patches on upper substrate
b Quarter-wavelength line coupled patch array; patches and feed
on single grounded substrate
Such analysis has been applied to dipole arrays
5
and
together with empirical deductions
6
have allowed certain rec-
ommendations to be evolved for good wideband array action.
First, to prevent excitation of higher-order modes in the low-
frequency elements, the array should be fed from the high-
frequency end (Fig. 1) and should have high attenuation
within and beyond the active region. Secondly, to ensure wide-
band action, the propagation characteristic should have no
stopbands below the frequency of the active region. These
recommendations can be usefully applied in the design of
microstrip log-periodic arrays and are used here to interpret
the analytic results.
Analysis: The characteristic equation of an infinite period-
ically loaded transmission line is given by
5
cos fid =
cos kd + jy
lx
sin kd/2y
0
(1)
-jy 12
sin kd
/yo
ELECTRONICS LETTERS 24th May 1984 Vol. 20 No. 11
where /?' = /? + jot is the complex propagation constant, d is
the periodic length, k = 2nfyJ{e
e
)/c, e
e
and y
0
are the micro-
strip feed line effective dielectric constant and admittance,
respectively, / is the frequency and c = 3 x 10
8
m/s. Mutual
coupling between adjacent elements only is considered; y
n
and y
l2
are the self and mutual admittances of the periodic
loading elementsin this case the patches. The equivalent cir-
cuits used are shown inset in Figs. 2 and 3. For the overlaid
array the transformer and coupling capacitor values were
empirically determined. In Figs. 2 and 3 k
o
d = Infdjc.
-20 -10
fid. rod
10 20 30
otd. nepers
Fig. 2 Complex propagation constant /?' = /? + jtx of infinite uniform
overlaid patch array
w = 8 mm, / = 12 mm, d = 9-82 mm, p = 1-25 mm, patch and feed
substrate thickness = 1-59 and 0-79 mm, respectively, e
r
= 2-32;
equivalent circuit of element shown inset
Results and deductions: Fig. 2 shows the propagation charac-
teristic for the overlaid patch array. High attenuation occurs
around k
o
d = 1-42 where the patch is resonant, and by
putting g
r
= 0 in the equivalent circuit this is identified as
being largely due to radiation. It can also be seen that there
are no stopbands below the active region, indicating that it is
theoretically possible to make a log-periodic array with an
infinite bandwidth using this element. In practice the band-
width will be limited both by the uniform substrate thickness
2
and, to a lesser extent, by the etching tolerances on the high-
frequency patches.
25
10
0-5
-30 -10 0 10 20 30
ad. nepers
Fig. 3 Complex propagation constant of infinite uniform quarter-
wavelength line coupled patch array
w = 8 mm, / = 1 2 mm, d = 9-82 mm, substrate thickness =
1 -59 mm, e
r
= 2-32, w
q
= 0-5 mm; equivalent circuit of element
shown inset
Fig. 3 shows the propagation characteristic for the quarter-
wavelength line coupled microstrip array. It can be seen that
there is a stopband at k
o
d = 0-4 below the active region at
k
o
d = 1-5, and this will result in a limited bandwidth capabil-
ity. Although precise quantification is difficult, Fig. 3 suggests
that this may well be between k
o
d = 11 and 20, and hence
less than a 2:1 frequency range. Such stopband action is due
to the high input admittance of the patch at the frequency
when / ~ XJ4, where X
m
is the microstrip wavelength.
Although Pues
3
has deduced that the array will have a limited
bandwidth due to the open-circuit feed line end and recom-
mends the use of a matched load, the frequency limitation is
identified here ultimately with the patch parallel LCR equiva-
lent circuit, and it is concluded that the directly coupled patch
is unsuitable for wideband log-periodic action. However, the
introduction of a series reactance as in the overlaid array will
overcome this; such reasoning is supported by propagation
437
characteristics for overlaid arrays with reduced series reac-
tance x
c
which exhibit the onset of stopbands whose magni-
tude when x
c
= 0 is similar to that in Fig. 3. This suggests that
it may therefore be possible to synthesise a patch coupling
circuit giving the k-p characteristics of Fig. 2 that can be made
on a single substrate. This would allow a wideband log-
periodic array to be formed with a simpler construction than
the overlaid array.
Conclusion: Results for k-fi analysis of two microstrip patch
arrays has allowed deductions to be drawn on the design and
bandwidth limitations of microstrip log-periodic arrays. If the
patch is directly connected to the feed line then low-frequency
stopbands prevent wideband action and bandwidths of the
order of 2:1 are indicated. The introduction of series reactance
into the equivalent circuit such as by the use of overlaid
patches does, however, allow wideband arrays to be formed.
Furthermore, if suitable patch coupling circuits can be synthe-
sised then construction of wideband arrays on a single sub-
strate may well be possible.
Acknowledgments: The author would like to thank Capt. K.
Barrett for measurements of the overlaid patch and Prof. J. R.
James for helpful discussions.
P. S. HALL 11th April 1984
Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Royal Military College of Science
Shrivenham, Swindon, Wilts SN6 8 LA, England
References
1 JAMES, J. R., HENDERSON, A., and HALL, p. s.: 'Microstrip antenna
performance determined by substrate constraints', Microwave
Systems News, Aug. 1982, pp. 73-84
2 HALL, P. s.: 'New wideband microstrip antenna using log-periodic
technique', Electron. Lett., 1980, 16, pp. 127-128
3 PUES, H., BOGAERS, J., PIECK, R., and VAN DE CAPELLE, A.: 'Wideband
quasi log-periodic microstrip antenna', IEE Proc. H, Microwaves,
Opt. & Antennas, 1981, 128, pp. 159-163
4 ISBELL, D. E.: 'Log periodic dipole arrays', IRE Trans., 1960, AP-8,
pp. 260-267
5 MITTRA, R., and JONES, K. E.: 'Theoretical Brillouin (K-B) diagrams
for monopole and dipole arrays and their application to log
periodic arrays', IEEE Trans., 1962, AP-12, pp. 533-540
6 RUMSEY, v. H.: 'Frequency independent antennas' (Academic Press,
New York, 1966), pp. 87-110
7 JAMES, J. R., HALL, P. s., and WOOD, c.: 'Microstrip antenna theory
and design' (IEE Electromagnetic Wave Series no. 12, Peter Perig-
rinus, London, 1981), pp. 42-66
LASER-DIODE OPTICAL SWITCH MODULE
Indexing terms: Lasers and laser applications, Switching
A pigtail structure laser-diode optical switch module was
first fabricated. A 6 dB gain in the 'on' state and 82 dB iso-
lation were obtained.
Introduction: Low-loss and wideband optical switches are
expected to be key devices for evolving the optical fibre com-
munication system of highly integrated service network
systems. Large insertion loss is inevitable in the case of a large
matrix size or multistage passive optical switch networks.
Laser-diode (LD) optical switches,
1
having a gain in the 'on'
state, are attractive for the aforementioned switch network.
For the practical use of an optical switch, a pigtailed or inte-
grated optical structure is necessary. First, the pigtail structure
is suitable for constructing a laser-diode optical switch
module.
This letter reports the manufacture of a pigtail structure LD
switch module. Measured switching characteristics are also
described.
Module structure: Fig. la shows a diagram, and Fig. \b a
photograph, of the LD switch module. The laser diode, used
as a switch element, is a BH-type InGaAsP laser,
2
whose
oscillation wavelength is near 1-3 [xm at room temperature
and whose cavity length is about 250 fim. The oscillation
threshold current for the laser diode is near 52 mA at room
temperature. Antireflection (AR) coatings were sputtered on
both facets of the LD to stabilise the output signal level for
temperature deviation, injection current deviation, and spectra
deviation in input light signals.
3
current injection
terminal
input signal
monitor terminal
graded index
rod lens
1930/11
glass
sphere lens
Fig. 1 Laser diode switch module structure
a Diagram
b Photograph
For the LD to single mode fibre coupling, the two-lens
coupling method in the confocal condition* is adopted to
increase the alignment tolerance. The first lens is a glass
sphere lens of 08 mm diameter. The second lens is a graded-
index rod lens. They are fixed by bonding at the optimum
point. The coupling loss was measured to be about 5 dB/facet.
Two electrical terminals, a current injection terminal and an
input optical signal monitor terminal,
4
are attached to the
module case. The fibre ends are finished to polished ferules to
prevent breaking.
Switching characteristics: Switching speed and transmission
bandwidth for the LD switch were described in a previous
paper.
5
Important switching characteristics for LD switch
modules are gain in the on state and at isolation, which is the
power level difference between the on and off states. The iso-
lation characteristics were measured at 100 MHz with a spec-
trum analyser.
The modulated input light is injected into the input port,
where the input single mode fibre consists of two pieces con-
nected by an optical connector to monitor the input power.
The output power for the switch module is detected by a
Ge APD. The input power was measured by the same
Ge APD. The Ge APD was biased at 20 V, where the multi-
plication factor was M~l - 2, to prevent changing the APD
sensitivity with the input light power. The power level was
measured with RF electric power.
Fig. 2 shows the relative output power level, which is nor-
malised by the input power level, against the injection current
for the LD switch, where the input power at the input optical
fibre was 10 dBm and modulation depth was about 60%.
* KAWANO, K., MITOMI, o., and SARUWATARI, M.: 'Efficient combination
lenses for a laser diode module' (unpublished)
438 ELECTRONICS LETTERS 24th May 1984 Vol.20 No. 11